Easter 2010

Brian and I are blessed to live close to our families and love that Hannah can spend holidays with her grandparents and cousins (at least on my side, but with Brian's parents coming home from the mission soon we'll be spending a lot more time with the Simmons side). Easter weekend at my parent's house this year was so much fun. Don't you love my mom's Easter Egg tree?

The Easter bunny came to visit both Saturday and Sunday so Hannah enjoyed lots of treats and got plenty of Easter egg hunting with her cousins.

Every year we make chocolate Easter Eggs (it's our family's favorite Easter tradition). Here's the recipes courtesy of my mom.

*Warning: These are super yummy and definitely diet busters. It's impossible to eat just one.

Chocolate Easter Eggs (3 fillings)
Fudge Filling:
2 1/2 C sugar
3/4 C evaporated milk
16 large marshmallows
1/4 C butter
1/4 t salt
1 C semisweet chocolate chips
1 t vanilla (the real thing, not the fake stuff)
1 C chopped nuts
*Mix sugar, evap. milk, butter and salt in a heavy saucepan. Cook over medium heat to an all-over boil. Boil for 5 minutes. Stir in chocolate chips and marshmallows until completely melted. Add vanilla and nuts. Spread into pan to cool. Roll into egg shapes ready for coating. Best to chill over night.

Butter Cream/Coconut:
1 stick butter (1/4 lb.)
8 oz. cream cheese
1/2 t salt
1 1/2 t vanilla
1 1/2 C coconut
4 C powdered sugar
*Soften butter and mix. Roll into egg shapes and chill until ready to coat.

The Ever Famous Peanut Butter Filling:
1 C powdered sugar
1 C crunchy or regular peanut butter
2 C Rice Krispies
1/4 t vanilla
2 T oil
*Mix, roll into shapes, and chill.

Chocolate Coating:
Melt 5 or more Hershey bars in a large pan over simmering water (double boiler if you have one). Add a few semi sweet chocolate chips to thin it out a bit. Using forks of chop sticks, roll chilled balls in melted chocolate. Place on wax paper or a greased pan and chill. Wrap in cellophane of foil, or decorate with royal icing.